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U of M takes smelly approach to ward off pine tree thieves

The University of Minnesota has a pest problem–thieves that help themselves to a free “Christmas” tree on campus.

KARE 11 reports five landscape evergreen trees were cut down around the holiday’s last year, including a 20-footer that was chopped down to five feet off the ground. The trees can cost the university as much as $500 to replace.

To deter thieves, landscapers on campus are spraying trees with skunk spray, a method that was suspended about five years ago.